POLICE REPORTS

The reasons why you might have to make a police reportare endless, or perhaps you may be reported to the police by someone else.

My interpreting services at police and Guardia Civil stations have been concentrated on three different scenarios:

• Making reports against somebody.
• Giving your version of the events as somebody reported you.
• Stating what you saw as you are a witness.

Unless there is enough evidence to take action, the police and Guardia Civil in Spain act as an intermediate figure between the persons involved and the court.

Most police stations in the South Costa Blanca, Costa Cálida, Murcia and Cartagena do not have interpreters.

My recommendation here is similar to what I said for doctors and hospitals: take your own interpreter and do not assume that the police will speak English.

COURT

Depending on the events reported, whether they are a defined in Spanish law as a crime or a misdemeanour, you may have to attend a court hearing.

The roles you will play are:

• Plaintiff
• Defendant
• Witness

Unless you speak Spanish fluently, you should take an interpreter with you if they do not have official translators at the court.